Place in Time: Philadelphia 1776 - Research Paper Example

Paine’s work spoke strongly of the need for America to seek its independence. Philadelphia was at the heart of the Revolution and the opinions of this city were strongly stirred towards independence, and against their British Philadelphia was founded in 1681 by William Penn based on many of his own ideas. Penn had been persecuted as a Quaker, and consequently, one of the aspects of his design for a peaceful city, which could act as a refuge1. One distinct difference about Philadelphia compared to the other states was that it was founded with the intent of upholding many Quaker ideals, and all of the early city leaders were Quakers2.

Philadelphia was the central point for American Revolution as it was central among the colonies, and this was a significant factor in the decision to sign the Declaration of Independence in this city. Because of this, the city had a strong focus on pacifism and many people opposed the idea of independence3. In Philadelphia in 1776 that the founding fathers of the United States of America signed the Declaration of Independence, determining that they would no longer be under British rule. Within this document, the founding fathers agreed with many of the opinions that Paine argued for in Common Sense.

Strongest among these was the perception that King George had mistreated and oppressed the states through many different aspects, including neglecting to pass many important laws and for the decisions made concerning the United States being solely based on his own determination4. In 1776, Philadelphia was a place of discord, lawlessness, dirt and injustice, much like the United States in general at that point in time5. Often the period of the revolution is perceived as being a very dignified and civilized time, where the beginnings of the country occurred in a logical and well thought-out manner.

However, this is far from the truth, and historians suggest that there was a large amount of confusion at this time, with many different opinions and proposed solutions6. Although the Revolutionary period did result in America’s independence from the British, this outcome was by no means assured, and many people argued that it was better to reconcile with the British and remain under their rule7. However, despite this dissention, there was a growing body of people determined to stand up against the British and to fight for the independence of the United States.

From the beginning 1776, a significant proportion the people of Philadelphia perceived the British Monarchy as an unfair system of rule. In his Common Sense pamphlet Thomas Paine argued that England had ‘grievously oppressed’ the United States, and that the colony’s future lay in self-governance. Throughout the document, Paine examines the nature of the English constitution and its King, focusing on the idea that while the system is designed to be just, it has no way of doing so. Furthermore, while the sovereignty of the King may be somewhat effective within England itself, the distance between the United States and England, and the need for Americans to care for themselves in most aspects of live, means that the English system of rule was highly ineffective for its new territory.

He considered that America had sufficient ability to care for itself, and could create a